Michigan

Heroin addict turned bank robber gets up to 20 years in prison

BAY CITY, MI -- A month shy of two years since he robbed a Bay County credit union, a 32-year-old said he was shocked at the deeds his heroin addiction led him to commit.

Daniel S. Collazo, 32, appeared before Bay County Circuit Judge Harry P. Gill Monday, July 11, for sentencing on one count of armed robbery. Collazo in April pleaded guilty to the charge, which stems from the Aug. 8, 2014, holdup of the United Financial Credit Union at 4710 S. Garfield Road in Williams Township.

"Your honor, Mr. Collazo's (conviction), like many individuals charged with theft offenses, all result from addictive substances, in this case, the most addictive one, heroin," said Collazo's attorney, James F. Gust.

"I had a severe drug problem," the shackled Collazo said. "I've been locked up for a year, I've been clean for a year, and I can't believe the actions I committed. I take full responsibility for it, though. I chose to do drugs and this is what happens when you don't get help."

"Indeed," Gill told him. "I don't believe in putting people in prison for being drug addicts. However, there's a difference between just being a drug addict and someone who commits a violent crime who happens to be a drug addict who might not have done it if not for the addiction. This was a violent crime. This is a crime society cannot tolerate. It puts innocent people in state of great emotional shock and trauma that can have devastating effects."

The judge ended up sentencing Collazo to 51 months to 20 years in prison. He gave him credit for 357 days already served and ordered him to pay $5,000 in restitution to the credit union and $291 to its insurance company.

During the holdup, Collazo passed a note to a teller that stated he had a gun. Gust said Monday his client did not actually have a firearm.

Collazo perpetrated a similar robbery on Aug. 26, 2014, at the Chemical Bank branch at 230 N. Main St. in Freeland, the town Collazo calls home. In that incident, Collazo also passed a note to a teller stating he had a gun and demanding money, according to police.

Police investigating both robberies arrested Collazo at his home on July 6, 2015.

Collazo on Oct. 19, 2015, appeared before Saginaw County Circuit Judge Janet M. Boes and pleaded guilty to bank robbery. Boes on Nov. 24, 2015, sentenced Collazo to 22 months to 15 years in prison. She gave him credit for 141 days already served.

Collazo is incarcerated at the Central Michigan Correctional Facility in St. Louis.

Gust told Judge Gill his client is in counseling for drug addiction and psychological issues in prison. He added he works in the prison library and is studying electrical work.

"He has been a model prisoner since he's been there," Gust said.

Before the sentence was imposed, Bay County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Nancy E. Borushko encouraged the judge send him to prison, saying her concern was for the victims of Collazo's robberies.

"This must have been an exceptionally upsetting experience," she said. "He has made choices in his life that brought him to this position and he needs to face the consequences."

Gill addressed Collazo one last time as he was being led from the courtroom by Michigan Department of Corrections personnel.

"I wish you, and I mean this sincerely, the best of luck," the judge said. "I hope you are sincere in your realization that addiction has caused you these difficulties and you resolve to do better in the future. You're still a young man."